Welcome to Optimize, a weekly update to keep you informed on what has happened during the week. Here are five national/international stories (and one local one) that you should know:
Companies taking (small) gun control action
Leading companies in gun sales such as Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods took action amidst the ongoing gun control debate. These companies have raised their minimum gun buying age to 21 from 18.
China plans to ditch term limits
The Communist party of China wants to get rid of presidential term limits, which could effectively make current president Xi Jinping the country’s leader for life.
Trump calls for gun control
President Trump, who previously took a strong stand against gun control, shockingly advocated for gun safety legislation on Wednesday. Trump suggested many ideas to improve the current gun control laws, such as background checks at gun shows and on the internet and raising the legal age to buy a gun.
Snowstorm in several European countries
Named the “Beast from the East”, a potentially life threatening snowstorm has impacted the U.K. and other countries nearby. In Scotland, people were stuck in their cars for 15 hours on a busy road where the snow was blocking them in.
Kushner’s conflicts of interest revealed
Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior adviser (and son-in-law), was accused of inviting businesses to the White House in order to take out loans and make more money for Kushner’s family business.
Local Bonus: Indiana names the lightning bug the official state insect
Governor Eric Holcomb passed a bill naming the lightning bug Indiana’s official state insect after years of urging by students around the state due to the lightning bug’s significance in Indiana’s agricultural scene and american history in general. In his official statement he recognized the importance of these students’ work in teaching them about civic engagement that will be vital in their adult years.
